Other LanguagesOLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson released the following statement in response to today’s report from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on his review of national monuments:
“In May, I sent a letter to the Trump Administration promising legal action if President Trump attempted to harm Washington’s national monuments. While I’m glad to see Washington’s national monuments appear to be safe from this attack, I’m troubled that Secretary Zinke and President Trump appear ready to overstep their authority in an unprecedented way.
“The Trump administration believes President Trump has the legal authority to unilaterally alter the borders of a national monument. They are wrong.
“If this Administration proceeds to unlawfully strip monuments of their protections, I intend to help our neighbors in defending their national monuments, and protect the right of Washingtonians to visit these important pieces of our national heritage.”
More information on Ferguson’s letter to Zinke is available here.
Protecting the environment has been one of Ferguson’s top priorities. In 2016, he created the Counsel for Environmental Protection, a new legal unit led by Assistant Attorney General Bill Sherman, to protect our environment and the safety and health of all Washingtonians.
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The Office of the Attorney General is the chief legal office for the state of Washington with attorneys and staff in 27 divisions across the state providing legal services to roughly 200 state agencies, boards and commissions. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.
Contacts:
Brionna Aho, Interim Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov